The Greenville times., 1887-11-19
''THE QUIP MODEST. $

some time past, paracing, through the
press, the fact that he and the Secre.
tary Of the Interior, to whom his de.
partment is subordinate, entertain diff
ferenees of opinion in the matter Of
settlement and adjustment of railroad
land grants This having. at last
reached the point of actual and offens.
i've insubordnatiOn. Mr.. Lamar prop
erly and pointedly takes him to task
in letter closing as follows:
mot content with an elaborate crit
icism of every point in my recent de-
cision in the Omaha case, You extend
your criticism to all my former deeis-
ions touching the same grant and ex-
tending over Il period of more than q
year. The sole object which appar-
entity you have in view is to insist that
| did not in such orders and decisions
especially direct you in adjusting this
grant to allow indemnity for swamp
lands and other particular classes OF
land last in place.
Declining TO discuss with you these
past decisions, certainly did so in
struct you in my recent decision of
Oct. Z, 1887, and you did not even pre-
tend to have misunderstood the mean
ing of my instruction.
You conclude your paper with an
other elaborate criticism ofmy decision
upon the branch of the Omaha road.
You claim gross error on my part in
allowing indemnity for reservations,
putting your argument upon the pro
viso to the granting act under consid-
Grafton by me. 1t seems, however, to
have escaped your attention that 1t
was not my duty in communicating
the grant to assume the task of con-
vineing you of the correctness of these
Instructions by elaborate citations of
all decided eases applicable to the sub
ject.
had conceived it my duty as head
Of this department, and having kept in
view my oath of office to direct you as
to what duties required you to per-
form.
had also conceived 1t to be equally
your duty, under the same obligations,
to obey my instructions or withdraw
yourself from the duty Of so doing in
the only way recognized under the
laws and the uses of public life in civ
ilized countries, especially so when
was myself but acting in direct coli
formity to the recent act of congress
which imposes upon Inc the exclusive
duties of causing these grants to be
adjusted.
Ii therefore only remains for me on
this point to dispose of your element
airy citations of legal maxims by In
forming you that they are in my opin-
ion entirely irrelevant.
The question has not been, as you
suppose, SO much the legal effect of
proviso to grant, but what was the
meaning of proviso in this particular
grant. gave you my opinion of that
meaning and you have shown me no
shadow of reason in departing from
the conclusion there stated.
However, we may differ In our con-
struction of the statutes or of decided
cases. and whatever variance may ex-
ist In our conception of our public
duties. am constrained to say to you
that there is obviously one point upon
which we are in thorough accord. Up
on this point you have succeeded in the
communication before me in riveting
on my mind profound conviction
that the practical effect Of your present
course is that you cannot execute my
orders and follow my instructions, and
cooperate in my administration, with
out surrendering opinions, which
should be conscientiously entertained
with reference to vitally important in
terests.
am as sincere rs you can be in the
profound conviction that my instrllc-
lions to you are in exact accordance
with the law of congress, in line with
the decisions of the courts, and in sup
port of the supremacy OF the law and
its inviolability.
1t is impossible for me, in contraven-
ton of my own opinions, arrived at
after long and anxious study, to sur
render thelu to yon.
Under these circumstances, 1t is due
to the orderly and decorous admins
tration of the government, to import
ant public interests aud the common
cause. considering the part entrusted
to your hands by the President, and to
the personal regard we should both
entertain for him, that he shall be al
lowed to choose secretary of the in
terror, who will conform his admins
tration to your opinions. or TO appoint
a commissioner of public lands who
will administer his bureau In harmony
of spirit and concert of action with the
chief of this department, and without
compelling him to the necessity Of
more decisive action ON his part,
This alternative | shall submit to
the President at the same time that
this paper will he handed to you.
Very respectfully,
L. @. c. LAMAR, Secretary.
The Luna telephone Office rang up
fhis office for tho first time on Friday